At the altar, Juliette and Laurie had squeezed each other’s hands tightly and had tried their best not to giggle.
At the end of the ceremony, the vicar forgot to announce that they could kiss, and Dexter had chimed up in his unmistakeable Durham accent with, ‘Go on then, Laurie, give her a snog, mate!’ The whole congregation had erupted in laughter as Laurie had taken her in his arms and kissed her tenderly…
Laurie had looked so ridiculously handsome on that day – as he did every day –and knowing they were making this vow to be with each other until death made her feel like the luckiest woman alive. However, neither of them had expected the vow to be so short-lived.
Back in the present, Juliette decided she couldn’t quite face entering a packed dining room filled with wedding guests, so she ordered room service and, whilst she waited for the food to arrive, she decided to make some calls home. After the first call to her parents, she dialled her best friend’s number.
Millie answered on the second ring. ‘Hey, beauty. How’s it going? What’s it like? Are you okay? Have you eaten?’
Juliette laughed. ‘Blimey, okay… It’s going well, the hotel is really pretty, I’m fine and I’ve ordered room service.’
‘Well, I don’t blame you for getting room service. I’m not sure I’d be happy, in my single state, to be amongst all that sicklycoupliness.’ An audible noise of disgust could be heard across the airwaves.
‘No, and anyway, I’m tired out. I just want to sleep, which is precisely what I’ll be doing when I’ve eaten.’
‘Call me tomorrow when you get to Skye, okay?’
Juliette saluted even though Millie couldn’t see her. ‘Understood, cap’n. Bye for now. Love you.’
‘Love you too, chick… oh and, Jules.’
‘Yes?’
‘I think you’re so brave to be doing this. And you should be proud of yourself.’ Her voice wobbled slightly.
A lump formed in Juliette’s throat and she swallowed it down before answering. ‘Thank you. That means such a lot. Goodnight.’ She ended the call and closed her eyes, trying to fight off the threatening tears.
* * *
The following morning, after showering, Juliette descended the stairs to enter the dining room for breakfast. Fortunately, she had woken early enough to be one of the first seated, meaning she could eat and have a little wander along to the blacksmith’s shop before she got back on the road to begin this new adventure she arranged for herself.
‘Ah, you’re a loner too, are you, dear?’ an elderly man said as he passed her table.
She looked up into his wizened old face and smiled. ‘I’m afraid so.’
He shook his head. ‘I’m looking forward to getting back to my own little village and sleeping in my own bed. I never sleep the same in hotels,’ he said, as if they’d known each other for a while.
‘Oh yes, I’m the same.’
‘Are you here for the McAndrews wedding?’
Juliette shook her head. ‘No, I’m not actually here for a wedding; I’m just stopping off on my way to Skye.’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘Oh, that’s smashing. I live on Skye. Beautiful place. No husband or…wifewith you?’
‘Sadly, no. My husband passed away two years ago. I’m going it alone, as they say.’
The man placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. ‘Oh, my dear, I’m so sorry. My wife died forty years ago, and I miss her to this day. Do you have plenty of family and friends?’
Juliette smiled warmly. ‘I do, thankfully.’
‘Ah, that’s good. There’s nothing worse than loneliness.’
Her heart squeezed for the poor man. ‘No, you’re absolutely right there.’ She placed a hand over his where it sat on her shoulder as empathy caused her throat to constrict.
‘Not that I’m lonely, I suppose. I’ve a big family. But I miss having a best friend.’
She knew exactly what he meant. She had Millie and Dexter, but being with Laurie was completely different. They had finished each other’s sentences, laughed at the same crazy things. Knew what the other was thinking.
